Back on the bandwagon...

The past week or so I have been horrible with sticking to my diet. Cakes, cookies, meat, and dairy were all very persuasive. But now I am vowing to take control back!

Began the morning off with a kiwi/banana/carrot/oatmeal smoothie* and it tasted delish! B tried to drink it all but I fought hard for it. :)

This past weekend my girls and I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of two wonderful people. It was, by the far, the best wedding I had ever been to. Very laid back and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. M and B got to dress up in "fancy" clothes. M took it to the extreme with her outfit but still looked absolutely adorable.

We had so much fun at the wedding catching up with old friends and listening to some great music.

Thanks to the wonderful couple for putting on such a great party!

Now it is back to reality of hectic days at home with the kiddos and dog. And back to cooking wonderful whole foods again!

*Here is the recipe for the smoothie I made this morning:

2 kiwi fruit

1banana

10 baby carrots

2 tblsp old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup vanilla soymilk

Chop the kiwi and banana into cubes. Put in blender. Add oats and soymilk. Blend until smooth. Add carrots and blend until completely smooth. Either serve as is or pour over ice for a colder drink. Enjoy!*

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is just one of those days I should have pulled the covers over my head and stayed in bed. Issues began to pile up even before my first cup of coffee. This is the type of day where a big red easy button would be pushed constantly. I only hope that it gets better as the day goes on. My patience is hanging by a thread and the day is only half over. Tenth cup of coffee and some frozen Reese's cups are on the menu for now!

Good Food...

Over the past few days I have been making some yummy food. The other night I made a wonderful vegetable casserole that has become a favorite dinner in my house. 

Spinach, tomatoes, onion, minced garlic, and black pepper simmering on the stove.

Eggplant and zucchini baked and ready for the spinach mixture.

Finished product (with a bit of shredded cheese on top.)

As you can see M liked it pretty well.

Plates were cleaned all around the table!

This recipe is so easy and I love all the flavors the vegetables have to offer. This meal is a win in my house and that makes me so happy. For the hubs and kiddos I added extra cheese and made garlic bread. I did look longingly at the bread but was able to hold off! 

The meal I made last night was based off of a craving. Since even before starting this diet I have been craving Chinese food. Since the budget is tight AND I shouldn't be eating Chinese anyway, I decided to try my hand at making homemade egg rolls. The process was so easy but the product was irresistible. Unfortunately I ate 5 egg rolls (yes, 5!!!) and was paying for it later. They were good but they sat heavy on my stomach!

The cabbage mixture (chopped cabbage, shredded carrots, diced green onions, black pepper, garlic powder, and ground ginger.)

Making the egg rolls!

Ready to go into the frying pan.

Frying the egg rolls in walnut oil.

The finished product! Served with duck sauce. They were amazing! Totally satisfied my craving.

Getting easier by the day!

Sorry no post yesterday but I was crazy busy with kiddos and family stuff.

My mom came over yesterday to decorate cupcakes with M and B. I was able to control myself somewhat and only ate 1/2 a cupcake. Ooh it was so good!

My mom and I shared the leftover quinoa/cranberry/almond mixture for lunch while the others ate "regular" food. Grandmom hung out with the kiddos for a little while and even let me try a new "do" in her hair. (My mom is such a good sport!)

My very first attempt at a fishtail braid!!!

After a quick nap time we went to the in-laws farm for dinner. The menu was steak, chicken, mac n cheese, salad, and baked potato. Even though everything smelled wonderful I managed to control myself yet again and stick only to salad and a baked potato. And I ate them 'as-is' which means no salad dressing and no butter, salt, cheese, or sour cream on the potato. The flavor was amazing though, even without all the extras. I have found that I no longer crave the added things and I am enjoying the true flavor foods have to offer. I did bring along some homemade granola though and snacked on that throughout the evening.

The granola was a simple recipe and came out wonderfully. Here is the recipe:

Quick & Easy Granola

4 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels

1/4 cup flax seed

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 cup oil

1/2 cup honey

1/4 molasses

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried blueberries

Combine oats, sunflower seed kernels,flax seeds, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until well blended. Add oil, honey, and molasses until entire mixture is well coated. Put into 2 shallow baking dishes and bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add nuts and bake for 3 more minutes. Let cool. Once mixture has cooled completely, mix in berries. Store in air tight container.

*Add white and/or chocolate chips for a sweet treat*

*Serve with chilled soy or almond milk for a great breakfast meal*

I have been really good today. I ate a bowl of granola with vanilla soy milk for breakfast and an apple/strawberries/kiwi smoothie for lunch. I am playing it safe because tonight I know I am going to gorge myself on unhealthy foods. It is date night for me and the hubs and we are going out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants - CHEDDER'S!!!!! Maybe if there is time we will walk around Half-Price Books or Bed, Bath, & Beyond (I so want one of those magnetic screen doors for the back door.) So syked! Now to enjoy the rest of this day outside with M and the dog while B naps.

Disappointing Dinner

I knew going in that this diet was not going to be easy for me however I never thought that it would make me feel sad. Let’s just say tonight’s dinner menu was an absolute fail for my hubby and kiddos. I grilled up some portabella mushroom caps as ‘burgers’ and put them on buns with cheese and turkey bacon for everyone else but me. As a side dish I made quinoa with seared sliced almonds, dried cranberries, cinnamon, and basil. The only things they did eat were the turkey bacon and cheese. Where did I go wrong? I mean, the portabella ‘burgers’ were juicy and cooked with Worcestershire sauce, just like regular burgers. And the quinoa was amazing and full of flavor. When I saw the hubs sitting there gnawing on a carrot stick I knew something was up. He said he loves mushrooms (which is why I choose this meal) but he would prefer they remain a side dish and not the main course. M just said that the bottom of the ‘burger’ looked yucky and the sand (quinoa) was too weird. I think I am starting to hit the edge of their food comfort zones though. I heard someone once say that many people stick to only about 10 fruits and veggies that are familiar to them and don’t tend to venture beyond. Lately I have been bringing in unusual fruits and veggies for everyone to try. Well, they aren’t really unusual to me but they are to everyone else. I am one to explore new territories with my food and enjoy trying new combinations. If I ‘play it safe’ all the time, I may get bored with this diet change and revert back to my bad habits. I would love some advice as to how to make things more appealing to the entire family and not just myself, all while sticking within the parameters of a whole food, plant based diet.